1) I just finished my first actually wearable felted item (Fuzzy Feet (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/PATTfuzzyfeet.html)) and I'm wondering if they will stretch out as I wear them???

2) I read on here about you others felting and going through several wash cycles before it's felted enough, or felting for 30-60 minutes, etc. :shock: and I'm so shocked because every time I have felted something, it has taken only about 5 minutes and it is DONE. Is it that my hot water is too hot, or what????

MaryB

07-15-2005, 07:52 AM

#1) Yes the felted pieces will stretch a little as you wear/use them. You can just throw them into your washing machine with hot water for a minute or two and they are as good as new. Stuff and let dry as you did originally.
#2) There are so many variables in felting. It can be the type of wool you use, the temp of the water, the brand of washer, whether you have a water softener in your home, etc. My experience is similar to yours, most felting is done in 1 or 2 cycles. I don't leave the laundry room----I know I will forget what I am doing and end up with felted bags for Barbie and Ken.

Ingrid

07-15-2005, 07:52 AM

From what I know, and I'm doing my first felting later today, is that it can take anywhere from 5 minutes up. If it worked, it worked. It depends on the wool more than anything else, I've gathered.

kemp

07-15-2005, 10:05 AM

I think a lot of it is the wool. When I use Lopi, it was done in 2 cycles. when I used the cheapo "New Zealand" no brand ebay wool, it took FOREVER! I imagine with how much water/electricity I wasted, there was enough money to have bought a nicer yarn to start with!

kjhart1

07-15-2005, 01:49 PM

I'm also trying my first felted project. The instructions I have warn against buying a "super scrubbed" wool. I took that to mean that the more "processed" the wool is, the less felting will occur. I'll probably have to watch mine closely because I'm using raw wool that I spun, and the only processing it's had was a very light wash in luke warm water with Ivory Snow.

Ingrid

07-15-2005, 02:36 PM

The 'superwash' wools have had the little fibers that create felting removed so you youcan wash them with agitation and not end up with a Barbie sweater.

Knitcrazy

07-15-2005, 08:04 PM

OK.. So my machine here is broke and I would have to wash or shrint my wool by hand.. Do You think that is possible???

:thinking:

brendajos

07-15-2005, 08:22 PM

well i have seen people talking about hand felting with a plunger but i haven't been able to find full directions....hopefully someone will be able to tell us cuz i would like to try that too i think!

kemp

07-16-2005, 12:07 PM

possible I think, but way too time consuming! Maybe a laundrymat would be faster than a normal machine anyway..."industrial strength" and all :)

Knitcrazy

07-18-2005, 07:48 PM

Hi Brenda,
Yes.. I might just give it a try one of these days.. Maybe I'll get some wool and do something small and see how it works...
Hummmmmmm .. A Plunger, huh??? Now that should be interesting.. It might help me Firm up these Grandma Arms... LOL

Knitcrazy

07-18-2005, 07:53 PM

Problem is that at my laundromat the machines open in the front...
So ya can't stop the wash.. :(

I guess I can wait till I go back to Florida where I have a washing machine... I'll see if I can "Hold Myself back" until November :)

But I will give the "plunger" a plunge on something small just to see if it works :)

Ingrid

07-18-2005, 08:20 PM

Not all laudromats have only front-loaders. Check around you may find one, like the one near me, with top-loaders.

jodstr2

07-18-2005, 08:22 PM

for one of my bags, I had to reset the washer to *agitate* 5 times, not go through 5 full cycles... omg, I don't have the patience to wait 5 full cycles! :shock:
right after my washer fills to the selected water level, it agitates for about 5 minutes. when it's done agitating, if it hasn't reached good feltedness, I reset the dial to agitate again.
most of my bags took 3-4 agitation sessions.
it's weird tho... using the same yarn (but different colorways!) for several bags using the same pattern - length of time in the washer can vary from bag to bag...

brendajos

07-18-2005, 08:31 PM

Problem is that at my laundromat the machines open in the front...
So ya can't stop the wash.. :(

I guess I can wait till I go back to Florida where I have a washing machine... I'll see if I can "Hold Myself back" until November :)

But I will give the "plunger" a plunge on something small just to see if it works :)

well i was hoping someone would come and tell us how to do it. the only thing i found was buy a clean plunger and mark it so nobody uses it for it's destined purpose cuz...well...ick! And something about cutting a few smallish holes to aid in agitation. other than that, nothing i could find really said how to do it. :thinking: :??

kemp

07-19-2005, 03:21 AM

Maybe a friend with a top load washer would help...

cmk

07-19-2005, 08:21 PM

I read someplace that you could use a washboard. The only place I saw that sold washboards was through a mailorder catalog. I think a plunger sounds easier than a washboard.

The washer I have now felts things in about 5 minutes of agitating in warm water. In hot water after about 10 minutes of agitation, my FMB went from 12" to 3" high - as a washer for cleaning, it's not very good.